Air conditioner

ABSTRACT

An air conditioner includes a fan and a rear guide which guides air to the fan. A recess is formed in a side surface of the rear guide which faces the fan.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No.10-2007-0106159, filed on Oct. 22, 2007, which is incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an air conditioner. Generally, an airconditioner is an apparatus that uses a refrigerant cycle to cool and/orheat an indoor space. A heat exchanger and a fan are disposed inside theair conditioner. Air introduced from an air intake portion isheat-exchanged in the heat exchanger, and then the heat-exchanged air isdischarged into the indoor space through an air outlet portion when thefan rotates. A rear guide spaced from an outer periphery of the fan isdisposed on an intake side of the fan. The rear guide guides theheat-exchanged air such that the air is smoothly introduced into thefan.

However, in a conventional art air conditioner, since a space betweenthe fan and the heat exchanger varies according to an installationstructure and angle of the heat exchanger, an airflow passing throughthe heat exchanger is not uniform. Hence, there is air turbulence aroundthe rear guide. This results in a decreased air blowing capacity, and anincrease in noise.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One of the features of the present invention is that it minimizes airturbulence at a rear guide of an air conditioner.

This feature may be achieved by an air conditioner which includes a fanand a rear guide which guides air to the fan. A recess is formed in aside surface of the rear guide which faces the fan.

The recess may extend from a portion of the rear guide which is closestto the fan to an end of the rear guide. The recess may be inclined, atan angle of approximately 4-6 degrees, relative to a line tangential toa surface of the rear guide at a portion of the rear guide which isclosest to the fan. A ratio of a diameter D of the fan to a depth d ofthe recess may be approximately 0.01≦d/D≦0.015.

A ratio of a diameter D of the fan to a thickness t of a portion of therear guide at which the recess is formed may be approximately0.4≦t/D≦0.5. A ratio of a diameter D of the fan to a length L of therecess may be approximately 0.14≦L/D≦0.18. A bell mouth portionextending in a direction opposite to the fan may be formed at an end ofthe rear guide.

The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanyingdrawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent fromthe description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an air conditioner in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged view of a rear guide of the air conditionerof FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged view of a rear guide of the air conditionerof FIG. 1 in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the presentinvention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Although some embodiments are illustrated herein, it should beunderstood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can bedevised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit andscope of the principles of this disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an air conditioner in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the air conditioner includes a case 10, a heatexchanger 20, and a fan 30. The heat exchanger 20 and the fan 30 aredisposed inside the case.

A front air intake portion 11 is disposed in a front side of the case10, and a top air intake portion 12 is disposed in an upper side of thecase 10. A filter 13 for filtering intake air is disposed on the frontair intake portion 11 and the top air intake portion 12. The filter isattachably or detachably installed on the front air intake portion 11and the top air intake portion 12.

An air outlet 14 is disposed in a lower side of the case 10. An airoutlet louver 15 that can adjust the direction or angle of airflow isdisposed in the air outlet 14. The air outlet louver 15 is closed whenan operation of the air conditioner is stopped.

A fan 30 is disposed in one side of the heat exchanger 20. The fan 30may be a cross-flow fan, for example. The fan 30 discharges air whichenters the air conditioner through the air intake portions 11 and 12 ina direction perpendicular to a rotational direction of the fan 30. Theheat exchanger 20 includes a refrigerant tube 24, and a plurality ofheat exchange pins 25. Refrigerant flows through the refrigerant tube24. The refrigerant tube 24 passes through the plurality of heatexchange pins 25.

The heat exchanger 20 is disposed around an intake side of the fan 30.In some embodiments, the heat exchanger 20 may include a plurality ofheat exchange portions 21, 22 and 23, which are arranged at differentangles within the case 10 around the intake side of the fan 30.

If the heat exchanger 20 includes a plurality of heat exchange portions21, 22 and 23 which are disposed at angles, as shown, for example, inFIG. 1, a relatively large heat exchange surface area, and consequently,a relatively large heat exchange capacity, can be achieved. As analternative to having separate heat exchange portions, the heatexchanger 20 can be formed in one piece which has a bent shape.

A rear guide 50 extending toward the intake side of the fan 30 isdisposed in a rear side of the case 10 to guide air to the fan. A recess51 is formed in one side of the rear guide 50 facing the fan 30. Therecess 51 increases the space between the surface of the rear guide 50and the fan 30, which results in lower air turbulence around the outerperiphery of the fan 30.

A stabilizer 40 for preventing the air discharged from the fan 30 fromflowing towards the heat exchanger 20 is disposed in the outlet 14 ofthe fan 30. The stabilizer 40 is spaced from the outer periphery of thefan 30 by a predetermined space.

FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged view of a rear guide of the air conditionerof FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the recess 51 extends from a portion P of the rearguide 50 which is closest to an outer periphery of the fan 30 to an endof the rear guide 50.

The recess 51 is inclined, at an angle of approximately 4-6 degrees,relative to a line tangential to a surface of the rear guide 50 at theportion P. If the recess 51 is inclined at an angle of less thanapproximately 4 degrees, air turbulence, which is caused by the rearguide 50, increases around the outer periphery of the fan 30, whichrotates in a clockwise direction. If the recess 51 is inclined at anangle of more than approximately 6 degrees, the space between the outerperiphery of the fan 30 and the recess 51 is greater. Accordingly, sincethe air flowing along the outer periphery of the fan 30 does notconverge as well, air turbulence around the outer periphery of the fan30 is increased.

A ratio of a diameter D of the fan 30 to a depth d of the recess 51 ofthe rear guide 50 may be approximately 0.01≦d/D≦0.015. As the diameter Dof the fan 30 increases, the space between the outer periphery of thefan 30 and the recess 51 must widen. As a result, the depth of therecess 51 increases. If the ratio d/D is less than approximately 0.01,air turbulence around the outer periphery of the fan 30 increases. Ifthe ratio d/D is greater than approximately 0.015, the space between therear guide 50 and the outer periphery of the fan 30 is greater, whichalso causes an increase of air turbulence around the outer periphery ofthe fan 30, due to a lower convergence of air.

A ratio of the diameter D of the fan 30 to a thickness t of a portion ofthe rear guide 50 (hereinafter, refer to an “extending portion 52”) atwhich the recess 51 is formed may be approximately 0.4≦d/D≦0.5. As thediameter D of the fan 30 increases, a force of air gradually increases.As a result, the thickness of the extending portion 52 must berelatively great in order to prevent vibration of the rear guide 50. Ifthe ratio t/D is less than approximately 0.4, the extending portion 52of the rear guide 50 vibrates due to the force of the air, which causesair turbulence to increase along the outer periphery of the fan 30. Ifthe ratio t/D is more than approximately 0.5, a space between a sidesurface of the rear guide 50 which faces away from the fan 30, and theouter periphery of the fan 30 is greater. Hence, a swirl of air passingthrough the heat exchanger 20 increases around the side surface of therear guide 50 which faces away from the fan 30, and air turbulencearound the outer periphery of the fan 30 increases due to the swirlmovement.

A ratio of the diameter D of the fan 30 to a length L of the recess 51of the rear guide 50 may be approximately 0.14≦L/D≦0.18. As the diameterD of the fan 30 increases, the space between the outer periphery of thefan 30 and the recess 51 must widen. As a result, the length of the rearguide 50 must be larger. If the ratio L/D is less than approximately0.14, a portion of air flowing along the outer periphery of the fan 30does not sufficiently converge to the fan due to the rear guide 50,thereby increasing air turbulence. If the ratio L/D is more thanapproximately 0.18, the rear guide 50 covers a larger portion of anintake side of the fan, which prevents the air passing through the heatexchanger 20 from flowing to the fan 30, thereby reducing the airblowing capacity of the fan 30.

An operation of the air conditioner described above is described below.

When an operation of an air conditioner starts, refrigerant is providedin a heat exchanger 20. An air outlet louver 15 is rotated to open anair outlet portion. The fan 30 is rotated to introduce air through afront air intake portion 11 and a top air intake portion 12. The intakeair is heat-exchanged through the heat exchanger 20.

The heat-exchanged air flows along the outer periphery of the fan 30 ina clockwise direction. The air around the outer periphery of the fan 30flows in a direction of the rear guide 50. Since the recess 51 isinclined, at an angle of approximately 4-6 degrees, relative to a linetangential to a surface of the rear guide 50 at the portion P, the airis converged to the fan 30 due to the recess 51 and then discharged toan outlet side of the fan 30.

The stabilizer 40 prevents a portion of air of the outlet side of thefan 30 from flowing toward the heat exchanger 20. The air of the outletside of the fan 30 is discharged into an indoor space. The air outletlouver 15 can control a direction of the air to be discharged.

Next, a second embodiment of a rear guide in accordance with the presentinvention will be described below.

FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged view of a rear guide of the air conditionerof FIG. 1 in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention. 100341 Referring to FIG. 3, a recess 61 is formed in one sideof the rear guide 60 facing the fan 30. The recess 61 increases thespace between the surface of the rear guide 60 and the fan 30, whichresults in lower air turbulence around the outer periphery of the fan30. A portion of the rear guide 60 in which the recess 61 is formed isreferred to herein as an extending portion 62. The recess 61 extendsfrom a portion P of the rear guide 60 which is closest to an outerperiphery of the fan 30 to an end of the rear guide 60.

The recess 61 is inclined, at an angle of approximately 4-6 degrees,relative to a line tangential to a surface of the rear guide 60 at theportion P. A ratio of a diameter D of the fan 30 to a depth d of therecess 61 of the rear guide 60 may be approximately 0.01≦d/D≦0.015. Aratio of the diameter D of the fan 30 to a thickness t of a portion ofthe rear guide 60 at which the recess 61 is formed may be approximately0.4≦t/D≦0.5. A ratio of the diameter D of the fan 30 to a length L ofthe recess 61 may be approximately 0.14≦L/D≦0.18. Further explanation ofthe recess 61 is omitted, due to its similarity to the recess 51described above.

A bell mouth portion 63 having a ball shape is formed at an end of therear guide 60. The bell mouth portion 63 extends in a direction oppositeto the fan 30. The bell mouth portion 63 smoothly guides air flowingalong the outer periphery of the fan 30 toward the recess 61 of the rearguide 60.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number ofillustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerousother modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled inthe art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles ofthis disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modificationsare possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subjectcombination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawingsand the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications inthe component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also beapparent to those skilled in the art.

The illustrations of the embodiments described herein are intended toprovide a general understanding of the structure of the variousembodiments. The illustrations are not intended to serve as a completedescription of all of the elements and features of apparatus and systemsthat utilize the structures or methods described herein. Many otherembodiments may be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewingthe disclosure. Other embodiments may be utilized and derived from thedisclosure, such that structural and logical substitutions and changesmay be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure.Accordingly, the disclosure and the figures are to be regarded asillustrative rather than restrictive.

One or more embodiments of the disclosure may be referred to herein,individually and/or collectively, by the term “invention” merely forconvenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of thisapplication to any particular invention or inventive concept. Moreover,although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, it should be appreciated that any subsequent arrangementdesigned to achieve the same or similar purpose may be substituted forthe specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover anyand all subsequent adaptations or variations of various embodiments.Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments notspecifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in theart upon reviewing the description.

The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, andnot restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all suchmodifications, enhancements, and other embodiments which fall within thetrue spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximumextent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to bedetermined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the followingclaims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited bythe foregoing detailed description.

Although the invention has been described with reference to severalexemplary embodiments, it is understood that the words that have beenused are words of description and illustration, rather than words oflimitation. As the present invention may be embodied in several formswithout departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof,it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments arenot limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unlessotherwise specified. Rather, the above-described embodiments should beconstrued broadly within the spirit and scope of the present inventionas defined in the appended claims. Therefore, changes may be made withinthe metes and bounds of the appended claims, as presently stated and asamended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention inits aspects.

1. An air conditioner, comprising: a fan; and a rear guide which guidesair to the fan, wherein a recess is formed in a side surface of the rearguide which faces the fan.
 2. The air conditioner according to claim 1,wherein the recess extends from a portion of the rear guide which isclosest to the fan to an end of the rear guide.
 3. The air conditioneraccording to claim 1, wherein the recess is inclined, at an angle ofapproximately 4-6 degrees, relative to a line tangential to a surface ofthe rear guide at a portion of the rear guide which is closest to thefan.
 4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of adiameter D of the fan to a depth d of the recess is approximately0.01≦d/D≦0.015.
 5. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein aratio of a diameter D of the fan to a thickness t of a portion of therear guide at which the recess is formed is approximately 0.4≦t/D≦0.5.6. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of adiameter D of the fan to a length L of the recess is approximately0.14≦L/D≦0.18.
 7. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein abell mouth portion extending in a direction opposite to the fan isformed at an end of the rear guide.